in Spain, where he won the affections of the people by adhering to the
mild policy which his father had previously followed. His popular
measures here displeased his brother-in-law, and he ceased to be a
favorite with him. On his return home he passed through Tuscany where
he was astonished to see large tracts of the _ager publicus_ (see
Chapter VII.) cultivated by slave gangs, while the free poor citizens
of the Republic were wandering in towns without employment, and
deprived of the land which, according to law (see the Licinian
Rogations), should have been divided among them, and not held in large
quantities by the rich land-owners.

Tiberius determined to rectify this wrong. In 133 he offered himself
as candidate for the tribuneship, and was elected. He then began
boldly the battle for the commons. He proposed to revise the Agrarian
Law, now a dead letter, which forbade the holding of more than 320
acres of the _ager publicus_ by one individual. Occupants who had
fenced this land and improved it were to be compensated therefor.

The wealthy classes and the Senate at once took sides against
Tiberius, and the struggle began. One of the other Tribunes, OCTAVIUS
CAECÍNA, who was himself a large land-owner, taking advantage of his
authority as Tribune, interposed his veto to prevent a vote upon the
question.

Gracchus, full of enthusiasm over the justice of his cause, obtained,
contrary to all precedent, the removal of his colleague from office,
and passed his Agrarian Law. Three commissioners were appointed,
himself, his brother, and his father-in-law, APPIUS CLAUDIUS, to carry
it into effect.